Spotlight: Princess Ever After

Title: Princess Ever After
Series: The Rosewood Chronicles
Author: Connie Glynn
Genre: Middle Grade (Fantasy; Fairytale)
Publisher: Penguin

Check out the entire series on Amazon UK.

And on Goodreads.

Read my review of the first book here.

I love the covers, they've chosen wonderful colours, and this series looks beautiful on my bookshelf!

Blurb: Ellie is a rebellious princess who is no longer hiding her real identity.
Lottie is her Portman, wishing that she could shield Ellie from the threat of Leviathan.
Jamie is Ellie's Partizan, a lifelong bodyguard sworn to protect the princess at any cost - but has mysteriously disappeared.
Not all of the trio have made it back to Rosewood Hall. Can they be reunited? And at what cost?
With the crown at risk, the stakes have never been higher...

About the Author:

Connie Glynn has always loved writing and wrote her first story when she was six, with her mum at a typewriter acting as her scribe.

She had a love for performing stories from a young age and attended Guildhall drama classes as a teenager. This passion for stories has never left her, and Connie recently finished a degree in film theory.

It was at university that Connie started her hugely successful YouTube channel Noodlerella (named after her favourite food and favourite Disney princess). After five years of publicly documenting her life and hobbies to an audience of 900,000 subscribers on YouTube, Connie closed the book on the Noodlerella project in a bid for more privacy and to pursue her original passions in the performing arts.

Connie now writes music and fiction full- time. Follow Connie on YouTube, Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr @ConnieGlynn

Undercover Princess by Connie Glynn

Book Title: Undercover Princess (Rosewood Chronicles)
Author: Connie Glynn
Genre: Middle-Grade Fantasy
Source: Blog Tour (Thank you @WriteReads for including me in this tour.)

Goodreads, Amazon UK

Plot: When fairy tale obsessed Lottie Pumpkin starts at the infamous Rosewood Hall, she is not expecting to share a room with the Crown Princess of Maradova, Ellie Wolf. Due to a series of lies and coincidences, 14-year-old Lottie finds herself pretending to be the princess so that Ellie can live a more normal teenage life.

Lottie is thrust into the real world of royalty - a world filled with secrets, intrigue and betrayal. She must do everything she can to help Ellie keep her secret, but with school, the looming Maradovian ball and the mysterious new boy Jamie, she'll soon discover that reality doesn't always have the happily ever after you'd expect...

What did I think?

To celebrate the release of the fifth book in the Rosewood Chronicles, I've finally read the first one, Undercover Princess.

This is a whimsical and engaging Middle Grade adventure that I would have gobbled up as a ten-year-old.

Personally, I found the writing a bit clunky in places, but the story more than made up for it.

The characters are likeable. The protagonist is one hard-working Lottie Pumpkin (yes, that is her name!) who has been accepted to attend a prestigious boarding school on a scholarship. That's where she meets Ellie.

Ellie is the kind of character I love. Rebellious, sassy, laughs in the face of authority, and causes trouble wherever she goes.

Their blossoming friendship is one of the highlights of this book.

My favourite part was the setting. Rosewood Hall is quintessentially British, and I adored the quaintness of the gothic boarding school. It reminded me of curling up with Enid Blyton novels as a child.

I'd recommend this series for children aged 10-14, who enjoy both Harry Potter and The Princess Diaries - I'm showing my age here, whoops.

Undercover Princess is essentially an adorable fairytale with princesses and fencing. What's not to like?

Fireborn by Aisling Fowler

Book Title: Fireborn
Author: Aisling Fowler
Genre: Middle-Grade Fantasy
Source: Blog Tour (Harper Collins)

Goodreads, Amazon UK

Plot: Twelve has spoken the Pledge and now she is a Huntling. She has given up her name to train in the art of fighting monsters and keeping the peace, and she won’t get to choose a new one until she has earned it.
But when the Lodge’s walls are breached for the first time, and a little girl is taken, Twelve is the only one interested in going after the child.
Teaming up with Dog, the Stone Guardian of the Lodge, Twelve ends up on an epic adventure that will change her life, her name – and her entire world.

What did I think?

First of all, thank you to the publisher for sending me a review copy of this wonderful middle-grade fantasy. I don’t often read middle-grade fiction and am not the intended audience, but I absolutely adored this book.

Fireborn is filled with twists and turns, some of them expected but some of them surprised me.

Amazing world building and descriptive writing make this fantasy adventure unforgettable. The characters are incredibly well developed and while I found Twelve’s actions and thoughts frustrating at times, she is a believable protagonist.

I especially enjoyed the relationships between the characters. The author takes great care in developing them alongside important themes like forgiveness, and treating people with kindness. In this world, kindness is such an important thing to teach our children. There is one scene in particular where Twelve fights with her younger sister and realises how easy it is to hurt someone that I thought was incredibly well written.

The pacing is on point and I flew through the book. Overall this is an incredible fantasy adventure and I recommend it to all fans of middle-grade fantasy.

Amari and the Night Brothers by B. B. Alston

Book Title: Amari and the Night Brothers

Author: B.B. Alson
Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
My Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Source: Blog Tour

Goodreads, Amazon UK

Plot: Amari Peters knows three things.
Her big brother Quinton has gone missing.
No one will talk about it.
His mysterious job holds the secret.
So when Amari gets an invitation to the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs, she’s certain this is her chance to find Quinton. But first she has to get her head around the new world of the Bureau, where mermaids, aliens and magicians are real, and her roommate is a weredragon.
Amari must compete against kids who’ve known about the supernatural world their whole lives, and when each trainee is awarded a special supernatural talent, Amari is given an illegal talent – one that the Bureau views as dangerous.
With an evil magician threatening the whole supernatural world, and her own classmates thinking she is the enemy, Amari has never felt more alone. But if she doesn’t pass the three tryouts, she may never find out what happened to Quinton.

What did I think?

Just look at this gorgeous cover.

This MG novel is incredibly well written and easy to read. Alston nailed Amari's voice and made her an incredibly funny, yet empathic character. He created a magical journey, one that I hope many young readers will embark on.

Amari is a likeable protagonist. Most readers will find something of themselves in her, whether it be her curiosity, her strength, or her determination. She's the kind of protagonist I'd like my son or daughter (if I had any children) to root for. Amari is a fighter, independent, and determined to prove herself.

Elsie, her new best friend, quickly turned into my favourite character. Possibly because she's supposed to turn into a fire-breathing dargon.

The plot is tight and not a word is wasted. And the magic is fun. So much fun and also bizarre in places. Alston shows off his incredible imagination on every page.

The main themes are standing up for yourself (including prejudice) and camaraderie. I really enjoyed the friendships in this book.

The story is filled with twists and surprises and all of them are beautifully foreshadowed. Personally, I did see the big twist coming, but that's hardly a fair comment from a seasoned fantasy reader like myself.

Nonetheless, I enjoyed every minute of this brilliant romp.

To summarise: This explosive start to a new middle grade fantasy series is absolutely action-packed and filled with a cast of brilliant characters. I highly recommend this gem to every MG fan.

The Devil's Apprentice by Kenneth B. Andersen

Book Title: The Devil's Apprentice
Author: Kenneth B. Adnersen
Genre: Middle Grade, Young Adult, Fantasy
My Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥
Source: Ebook through the Blog Tour 

Amazon UK, Goodreads 

Plot Summary: Philip is a good boy, a really good boy, who accidentally gets sent to Hell to become the Devil’s heir. The Devil, Lucifer, is dying and desperately in need of a successor, but there’s been a mistake and Philip is the wrong boy. Philip is terrible at being bad, but Lucifer has no other choice than to begin the difficult task of training him in the ways of evil. Philip gets both friends and enemies in this odd, gloomy underworld—but who can he trust, when he discovers an evil-minded plot against the dark throne?

What did I think?
The Devil's Apprentice is a novel for a younger young adult audience or perhaps an upper middle grade audience. Not my usual read, I must admit, but I would have loved this book as a teenager. In fact, I can imagine I would have devoured this.

This is a book about a good boy (a really good boy) that lands in hell.

And the most important theme in The Devil's Apprentice is how in each of us there is good and evil, and how we might all, under the right circumstances, do the wrong thing.

After all, aren't we all a bit morally grey?

It's an easy, quick and smooth read and incredibly entertaining. The author is a master at painting a great atmosphere (in fact the setting is amazing) and the plot is infused with big dollops of humour.

Unfortunately, for me, this book is a bit too simplistic, but to be honest, it's perfect for a younger audience, just not for me.

I recommend The Devil's Apprentice to people who enjoy books in the style of A Series of Unfortunate Events and their kids.

Wondrous by Travis. M. Riddle

Book Title: Wondrous
Author: Travis M. Riddle
Genre: Middle-Grade, Fantasy
My Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Source: E-book copy provided by the author

Amazon UK, Goodreads

Plot Summary: Miles went to sleep tucked tightly in bed in his Austin apartment and woke up in the middle of a damp, dark forest in the kingdom of Rompu, a land being torn apart by a civil war between its king and queen.
Miles has few companions in this vast kingdom, which is filled with fantastical animals and flora yet sprinkled with familiar items like digital clocks and vinyl records. As he searches for a way to return home, he discovers that certain memories trigger magical abilities: he can shoot fireballs from his palms, heal with nothing but a touch, and more. But as he struggles to make sense of this new world, his thoughts are punctuated by painful memories of his sick grandmother, quarreling parents, and an icy school therapist.
When Miles learns that a monstrous entity flying through the countryside and killing for sport was summoned from a portal to another realm, he believes this creature is the key to learning how to open another rift and return home. Tracking down this beast and mastering his newfound magical abilities may be the only way for Miles to help save Rompu and get back to his family in Texas.

Thank you, Travis M. Riddle, for providing me with a review copy of this book. Also a big thank you goes to Esme over at the Weatherwaxreport for setting up TBRindr.

What did I think?

Wondrous is a wondrous little book with a peculiar and interesting young protagonist, Miles.

Nine-year-old Miles has just gone to bed when suddenly he finds himself in the middle of the woods in the kingdom of Rompu.

The author is extremely skilled at developing a very relatable young boy who worries about germs (which killed his grandmother in Texas) and suffers because of his parents' failing relationship.

The writing is straightforward and appropriate for any young reader.

The world building is imaginative and the story entertaining, though there were some slow moments. Travis M. Riddle weaves two stories together that mirror each other. One is the unfolding action in the fantasy world and the other memories from Miles' life in Texas.

I thought the way coming to terms with some unpleasant things he experienced in the real world helped him succeed in the fantasy world, while at the same time his experience in the fantasy world helped him come to terms with his life in Texas made the book a very interesting read.

I recommend this to anyone who enjoys portal fantasy and a classic coming of age story with a very young protagonist.

Sleep, Merel, Sleep by Silke Stein

Book Title: Sleep, Merel, Sleep
Author: Silke Stein
Genre: Middle-Grade
My Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Source: A review copy provided by the author

Amazon UK, Goodreads

Plot Summary: Life has changed for eight-year-old Merel. Since the birth of her sick baby brother, her parents seem to have forgotten she exists. But when she finds a tiny silver violin in her bedroom rug, things take a turn for the worse.
Merel learns that her sleep has abandoned her and that she must embark on a perilous journey to recover it or stay awake forever. Together with her devoted toy sheep Roger, tired Merel sets out in search of Lullaby Grove. Before long, she finds herself haunted by a scary stranger.
Follow Merel into a surreal world. Meet a sleepy king with an obsession for feathers and a transparent old man on a night train going nowhere. Discover why the moonfish cry, why you should never walk across the Great Yawns ― and if poor Merel can escape her pursuer, win back her sleep, and realize what matters most in her life.

What did I think?

I would like to thank the author, Silke Stein, for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I don't read many middle-grade books, not because I don't like them, but simply because it's not my preferred genre. However, I highly enjoyed reading Sleep, Merel, Sleep. It's a magical story, beautifully told by the author. The world building is fascinating, the descriptions vivid, and I immediately fell in love with the premise.

The author incorporates important topics in a way children will understand, like having a sick sibling. Merel is a very brave girl, and the world she encounters is one filled with a vast imagination. The writing has an almost dream-like quality and fits the story perfectly.

Sleep, Merel, Sleep is a book I'd recommend to anyone who loves middle-grade books. It's an ideal book for young children, especially those trying to adjust to a new sibling. It contains a perilous adventure, just dark enough to be exciting with a few scary moments splattered throughout, and I think parents will enjoy reading this one with their children simply because of how beautifully written it is.

Silke Stein’s website can be found here.

The Beat on Ruby's Street by Jenna Zark

Book Title: The Beat of Ruby's Street
Author: Jenna Zark
Genre: Middle Grade
My Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Source: A review copy provided by the author

Amazon UK, Goodreads

Goodreads Summary: The last thing eleven-year-old Ruby Tabeata expected to happen on her way to a Jack Kerouac reading was to be hauled to the police station. It’s 1958 and Ruby is the opposite of a 1950s stereotype: fierce, funny and strong willed, she is only just starting to chart her course in a family of Beat Generation artists in Greenwich Village.
Ruby dreams of meeting famous poets while becoming one herself; instead, she’s accused of trying to steal fruit from a local vendor and is forced to live in a children’s home. As Ruby struggles to return to family and friends, she learns her only choice is to follow her heart. Join Ruby’s journey as she finds unexpected friendships, the courage to rebel against unjust authority and the healing power of art in this inspiring middle-grade novel by Jenna Zark.

I would like to thank the author, Jenna Zark, for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

What did I think?

This was a read completely out of my comfort zone. I don't often read children's fiction and I'm not particularly interested in the 1950s... but, I ended up falling a bit in love with this one. It's a sweet story told in an unique and charming way.

Ruby grows up as part of the "Beat Generation" and I wasn't at all familiar with this part of American history. I found that aspect of the book particularly interesting and enjoyed learning about the culture through Ruby's eyes.

It is an easy read, told in first person and is definitely geared towards a young reader, and while I think a 9 or 10 year old could easily read this one, I also believe it can be thoroughly enjoyed by adults.

Jenna Zark has a unique writing style and I love how well she captures the voice of a young girl growing up in Greenwich Village during the 50s. Ruby feels real at all times. Ruby also wants to be a poet and her voice is actually very poetic but still feels like the voice of a 12 year old.

The book deals with lots of issues and some of them might be a step above Middle-Grade but Jenna Zark brings those subjects across in a sensitive and heartwarming way that can easily be understood by a young reader.

Visit Jenna Zark's website here to find out more about the author.

Millie Hardiman and the Red Parrot Fever by Eddie Owens

Book Title: Millie Hardiman and the Red Parrot Fever
Author: Eddie Owens
Genre: Middle-Grade
My Rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Source: A review copy provided by the author

Amazon UK, Goodreads

Goodreads Summary: Millie Hardiman is a thirteen year old from Bognor Regis, with a wild imagination, who dreams of becoming a writer.
When Millie’s scriptwriter Dad, Barry, has writer’s block, Millie becomes his muse for the daytime television soap, Double Top.
After her success on Double Top, Millie creates a Sci-Fi, teen drama, The Adventures of Martian Girl.
Millie falls in love for the first time with Wolf Van Der Beek, an arrogant, South African child actor.
This is a story about friendship, first love and growing up.

What did I think?

I would like to thank the author Eddie Owens for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Millie Hardiman and the Red Parrot Fever is not a book I'd usually pick up, simply because I don't normally read middle-grade books, but I really enjoyed the read.

The book follows a 13-year-old girl called Millie Hardiman. She is charming and creative but also somewhat of a compulsive liar who spends the majority of her time fabricating wild stories. This trait of hers becomes particularly useful once her father, who is a scriptwriter, starts suffering from the much dreaded writer's block.

The author depicts various aspects of a young teenager's life in an amusing manner: friendship, school, family. I especially enjoyed to see a girl change into a teen who falls in love for the first time. Is it the right boy? Or the wrong boy? And along the way she learns about responsibility and maturity.

The only negative thing I noticed while reading this, is that some of the plot feels wildly unrealistic in an otherwise realistic setting (though Millie's father is writing a soap opera, so maybe this is just a creative nod in that direction) and I'm sure that won't bother young teenagers who are hungry for adventures.

If you're looking for an amusing read for a kid with an over-active imagination, give this one a try.